Ashes to ashes
by Setheee
Summary: Claire Danvers has problems.She can handle the vampires and the poster girl for unstable teens but will she be able to survive the ultimate betrayal?
1. Chapter 1

Claire sat by the window watching the smoke rise into the night sky. She never understood war. Why if you want to gain territory do you destroy it? It didn't make sense. She preferred science. Science always made sense. Well at least outside of Morganville it did. Before she came to Morganville she trusted science. Every reality known to man was explainable by science. The question of creation, the big bang theory. Why apples fall from trees, gravity. Everything could be explained by science back then. But life in Morganville changed all that. Back home vampires were legends created by the scream gods to sell books and movies to those who preferred their entertainment to have a bite to it. Bram Stoker started it all; did he really meet Dracula? Claire's thoughts surrounded her blinding her from the events unfolding in the glass house. She was lost in vampire lore. How much of the legends are true, she wondered.

Shane's voice interrupted her thoughts, "Claire".

"Are you ok? "

She replied with a nod. Morganville was burning. They were helpless but she could not tell Shane how she really felt.

She looked into his eyes. "Shane?"

"Yes", he replied with a strained look.

" I don't want you to go. I don't want you to leave with that book. I.I... I think it is too dangerous for you to drive around Morganville with Bishop and his followers out there. They will kill you just for the book. They don't…"

"Claire, I have to". Shane forced a smile. "Amelie would not send us out there if she thought we would be easy bait".

Claire tried to smile. How do you smile when the guy you love is going to a war with a all you can eat buffet? She knew Amelie was not sure whether their plan would work. There were no guarantees in this family feud. Bishop wanted Morganville and he would do anything for it. He did not care how many human or vampire lives would be lost.

"I have to go. Everything will be ok. I will be back, soon. I promise". His smile sent shivers down her spine. That was not a good sign.

She hugged him and he left without another word. No "I love you" or "take care". Was she just another one of Shane's girls?

"Hey Claire" Eve called from the kitchen.

Claire got up from the chair and made her way to the kitchen.

"Looks like we will have to wait on the vamps, fangtastic huh. They arrive, without invitation and expect to be served"

"Would you prefer to be the refreshments?" A dark haired vampire snorted bearing his fangs"

"Hot blood coming up", Eve announced looking defeated. Even Eve felt the stress of the war. Usually she would have some sarcastic retort for the vampire. But not today. Her face seemed paler even without her usual make up. Dark purple circles lined her eyes suggesting Eve did not sleep. As Eve turned to put the blood in the microwave Claire noticed the small round suction mark on Eve's neck. Would Michael feed from Eve? Would Eve even allow him to suggest feeding from her? Claire moved closer to Eve, careful not to come to close and arise suspicion from Eve. She investigated the mark while pretending to watch the blood packs turning in the microwave.

Claire sighed in relief. No puncture marks. "Eve how are you and Michael?" Claire asked feeling guilty for suspecting Michael. "Hun the town is burning. Do you really think now is the best time for girl talk" said Eve sounding neither friendly nor angry.

"I was just trying to lift the mood. It is like a graveyard in here."

"Claire that is not funny. Shane and Michael are out there risking their lives to save this god forsaken town and you are trying to be funny? That is so wrong on so many different levels". Eve's words stung Claire. It was not so much what she said that hurt Claire; it was how Eve said it that drove the proverbial stake home. "This is serious Claire. People will die! This is not the time to be kidding around". Claire didn't know what to do. Eve has never spoken to her like this since they became friends. Eve use to be like her older sister but now she sounded like a stern mother. Claire spun around and walked out of the kitchen as fast as she could, hiding the tears welling up in her eyes.

The nervous whispers in the living room offered her no comfort. The fact that Monica was sitting there in her clothes on Michael's chair only made it worse. Monica flashed a superficial smile as Claire walked to the stairs. For the first time since Claire moved into the Glass house it didn't feel like a home. It felt foreign. It was as if the house rejected her in exchange for the refugees of Morganville. In exchange for Monica? That is almost as crazy as the idea that the house is able to think, she thought. Her parents only stayed a few blocks away so why should the rejection hurt? She could just pack her bags and move in with her parents. She could pretend she was happy staying there. Its not that she did not like her parents but the Glass house and her friends became her home. It was her haven in Morganville. The Glass house offered her sanctuary ever since Monica pushed her down those stairs. Claire smiled at the memory of all her friends together. They had some fun times together despite the dire circumstances. They survived Brandon, Oliver, Jason and Shane's idiotic vampire slayer vigilante father. They survived together. Would they be able to survive this war if their bond of friendship was broken?

She tried to clear her thoughts as she reached the door to her room. She turned the door knob slowly as if she was expecting someone would try to keep her from going to bed. The door creaked as she slowly opened it.

Miranda had fallen asleep in her bed. She was not particularly fond of Miranda but Miranda did predict the war. Miranda fell in love with a vampire, talk about grave robber! The vampire only used her as a mobile blood bank but she believed they were star crossed lovers. The vampire even offered Miranda to Bishop knowing that he would feed on her. If she truly was clairvoyant then surely she must have seen that he was only using her. Honestly one did not need clairvoyance to see that he did not love her as she loved him.

Claire felt jealous. Why was the house rejecting her? What did she do to deserve to be treated so coldly?

"It could have been worse", she told herself and closed the door behind her as she left her room. As she closed the door she heard the familiar sound of Shane's mobile phone ringing. Shane recorded Michael during one of his gigs at common grounds and made it his ringtone. Claire could not remember the song's title but she knew it was the song Michael wrote for Eve.

She entered Shane's room and started looking for his mobile. She found it under a pile of dirty laundry, typical of Shane. He was a feast for the eyes but he wasn't too hot on the housekeeping skills. Eve's name flashed violently on the screen as the mobile vibrated in Claire's hand. Should she answer? She did not want Eve to think that she screens Shane's calls. That would make her seem even more childish but it could be urgent. Claire answered the call but before she could say anything she heard a familiar voice. "Shane call me. I think she knows"


	2. Chapter 2

"Shane, can you hear me? I think Claire knows". Eve's voice sounded anxious over the mobile phone's speaker.

Claire froze as she processed what Eve said. "Shane…I think Claire knows". The words sent shivers down her spine as the mobile phone dropped to the floor. Claire's body felt cold. Vacant. She stood in front of Shane's bed for what felt like hours. She rolled the words over in her mind trying to make sense of what she heard. What could Eve possibly think she knows?

Why was Eve so anxious? All the questions milled around her thoughts. Thinking about what she heard did her no good. The only answers she could find were more questions. The anxious tone of Eve's voice suggested that it was something important. Eve is gothic but she was not the kind of person Claire would think of as having Chicken Little syndrome. This was important, that is obvious but what could be so important?

As the answer finally dawned on Claire, tears welled up in her eyes. The feeling of rejection returned. She was betrayed by her best friend. Tears started rolling down Claire's cheeks leaving wet tracks down to her chin. Soft whimpers escaped her open mouth. She felt hopeless, rejected, betrayed. She was no longer in control of her own body. Her legs buckled and she fell forward onto Shane's bed.

Shane's scent was imprinted in the fabric of his pillow. It made her long for him. All she wanted now was for Shane to put his arms around her and just hold her. She wanted him to tell her that it is all a big misunderstanding. She didn't care if it would be a lie. She just wanted everything to go back to normal. She wanted the Glass house to feel like home again.

She wanted the war to be over. She wanted to sit in the lounge with Shane by her side. Michael would sit in his chair and play guitar while Eve complained about how much she hated her new job. The thought made her smile. Eve had a way of making complaints sound comical. They would all sit and laugh. Shane would hold her hand while Michael watched his every move like a nervous father accompanying his daughter on a date. Michael was very protective due to Claire's age. Even though she always reminded him that she would turn 17 in just a few weeks. "Claire you agreed to abide by the rules when you moved in" Michael would say every time she mentioned her birthday. Those were happy days. The house use to be filled with laughter or Michael's songs. She didn't mind Michael playing guitar every evening. No girl would complain when she has a hunk to serenade her every evening. Michael was dreamy but Shane was dreamy and rugged.

Was that just a act? Was his affection for her just a cover for his relationship with Eve? The thought of Eve with Shane invoked her jealousy again. It felt like a raging monster in her small chest. She needed to release her anger before the beast consumed her. The last time she felt this kind of anger was towards Ysandre. Bishop's fanggirl had the hots for Shane. The difference however was that Shane was appalled by the idea of Ysandre liking him, even if it was just as a midnight snack. With Eve it was different. He would want her attention. Stolen moments and silent I love you's must have passed between the two of them right in front of her and Michael. The beast was ratteling his cage now. Snarling at the thought of Eve in Shane's arms. That could explain why Shane never said those three little words. They were three simple words but it would have meant so much to her to have him say it to her. They shared tender moments together in which she anticipated him saying I love you. He never did, instead he would do something completely random like ruffling her hair. It all made sense now. They had the perfect cover for their secret romance.

Eve was being a total hypocrite earlier. She freaked out because of the graveyard joke yet she and Shane had their own inside joke.

Science is complicated but it is a lot easier than relationships, she thought. Before she moved to Morganville she didn't pay much attention to boys. She focused on her studies. Science was her romance in a geeky kind of way. She could solve mathematical problems within seconds but decoding a boy's thought was impossible. It's like guys think in another language, *Idiolish most probably. So Shane was a idiot but Eve… What was she thinking? How could she cheat on Michael? Angelic blonde blue eyed Michael.

She couldn't stay on Shane's bed. It felt wrong. She pined for him but lying on his bed felt wrong. She wanted to get up. She wanted to give the house what it wanted. She wanted to give everyone what they wanted. She would leave the Glass house.

She gathered the courage to get up. Her legs felt shaky as she slided them off the bed. It was as if they wanted to linger on Shane's bed. Memories of her and Shane on the couch flooded her mind. The way he would slide his fingers up and down her legs. His flirtatious smile. No she shouldn't think about Shane now. That would only lead her to tears again. She forced her legs to walk out of his room. She said a soft goodbye before closing the door.

She went back to her room to fetch her rug sack. She found Miranda still sound asleep in her bed. A part of her felt like punching Miranda. It would be unfair to take her frustration out on Miranda, it would get rid of some of her frustration though. Did she even know how to punch? She can split a atom and even found the cure for the mysterious vampire illness. But punching someone was not in the advanced science curriculum. It was tempting but she would probably end up hurting herself.

She found her rug sack next to her desk. It was filled with study material. She turned the rug sack upside down and watched the books slide onto the floor. "Thanks for the help", she said sarcastically kicking her note book across the floor. Well she had some frustration to get rid of and it seemed like the easiest way. The note book slid across the floor and came to a halt against the eastern wall. The impact of the collision opened the note pad on the page with a description of the vampire illness.

Unable to reproduce / convert humans to vampires

Weakening

Hallucinations

Space outs ala Myrnin

Signs of irrational hunger, again ala Myrnin

Myrnin really was one box of fries missing from a happy meal.

Irregular cell structure *note : no additional blood samples to use as reference for mapping the vampire cells

The vampire cell structure puzzle was tempting but Claire knew that science would not be able to satisfy the raging beast. She left the note book on the floor. She would need clothes. She opened her closet and with one smooth motion swooped all the clothes on the shelf into her rug sack.

As she moved to close the closet she saw a photo lying facedown on the floor. She picked it up and turned it around. Eve, Michael and Shane stared smiling back at her. She still remembered the day the photo was taken. It was after one of Michael's gigs. Michael and Shane had their arms around Eve's neck. How appropriate she thought. The beast was roaring in her chest now. In a fit of rage she tore the photo to pieces and watched as the pieces fell to the floor.

"Time to go" she convinced herself. The image of Eve smiling with Shane's arm around her neck motivated her to leave. Yes, she use to be happy in the Glass house. She had fond memories of staying at the there but that was the past. "No use living in the past" she sighed and closed the bedroom door.

"Where have you been" Eve's voice sounded relieved.

"As if you care", Claire replied coldly.

"Look I am sorry about earlier but we are all stressed Claire bear. Friends?"

"I do not have time for your bipolar behavior Eve. Shouldn't you be at Common Grounds?"

"Bipolar behavior? Whatever. You are angry so I will let that slide. Oliver is with Amelie. We leave once they are ready".

"Well I am ready to leave, so I will wait outside" Claire replied.

Eve just stood there amazed. If this was a cartoon her jaw would have dropped to the floor. Claire passed Eve and walked down the staircase. The house was quieter now. The majority of Amelie's army had moved out to their posts. As Claire passed the lounge she saw Monica still sitting in Michael's chair. The superficial smile faded from Monica's lips. She looked worried. Claire passed Monica without a word. She went into the kitchen and out the back door.

The crisp night air filled her lungs. It calmed her down. She could still smell the smoke of the fires but the familiar aroma of nature was starting to overpower the smell of the smoke. It smelled clean. Almost pure if she ignored the smoke. She stared at the cloudless sky watching the stars sparkle. It would have been a beautiful night.

She crossed the yard and sat down on the wooden bench. It seemed old but it held her weight. Luckily she was small and light. This was about the only time that she was grateful for her size.

"Claire" Sam's voice travelled from the back door. " What are you doing outside? It is not safe for you to sit outside. Bishop knows that you are important to Amelie".

"So what, Amelie isn't ready to sacrifice me yet?".

Sam used his vampire speed and within a second he was sitting next to Claire.

"Don't say that Claire. Amelie cares for the inhabitants of Morganville. Vampire and human alike. Do you really think she would destroy her beloved town out of free will? She worked hard to make Morganville what it is today".

" It is a power struggle Sam. Bishop wants power and he believes Morganville will give him that power. Amelie is not willing to give up her power. It is as simple as that".

"It is not about power Claire. Amelie is trying her best to protect us. She knows what will happen if Bishop gains control of Morganville. Bishop would kill all those loyal to Amelie. He would allow her to survive but he would isolate her" Sam continued.

"Sam I know you are trying to make me feel better but I really need to be alone now."

"I understand" Sam replied and disappeared as quickly as he appeared".

Claire noticed the tall red tree swaying in the breeze. She didn't know which kind of tree it was but it was beautiful. She admired it's strength. It stood tall facing the breeze. If only she could stand tall and face Eve and the war.

"Beautiful isn't it?" A strange voice floated from over the fence.

"Excuse me", Claire replied.

"The Rowan tree, don't you think it is one of the most beautiful creations in nature?"

"Do I know you?", Claire asked cautiously.

"No you don't but I know you Claire".


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Please review. Criticism is appreciated and it will help me to improve._

Chapter 3

"How do you know me" Claire asked nervously.

"How I know you is not important Claire. All that matters is that I know you".

Claire tried to focus on the spacing between the wooden panels of the fence. She looked for a clue as to who her mysterious conversationalist was. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness but it did not betray his identity. Maybe I should have taken Sam's advice she thought feeling anxious.

"It's not safe outside" she forced the words out.

"Thank you for your concern Claire but it is not needed. I can take care of myself"

He reminded her of Shane with his bravado. Any male would remind her of Shane now. Any male without fangs that is. She felt nervous yet strangely safe in the presence of the voice. His voice was valiant. It resonated safety, the mysterious circumstances made her a bit nervous though. Morganville was not the kind of town to engage in trivial conversations with strangers at night. She was protected though. Would Bishop care whether or not she was protected by Amelie, probably not. Would he be daft enough to try to attack Amelie's base? Her heart was thumping in her chest. This stranger could be one of Bishop's minions.

" I will not harm you Claire. You have nothing to fear of me. It is important for you to listen carefully at what I am about to say".

She found his words reassuring but then again she trusted Oliver once. Her judge of character was not exactly one of her most reliable traits. She believed Oliver was one of the good guys once. She believed his caring act. The book revealed Oliver for the blood thirsty villain that he is. He did not care for Claire, Eve or any human in Morganville. Like Bishop he wanted the book for the power it represents in the vampire community. The book would have given him the power to create his own vampire army. Oliver however wanted a silent take over. After Bishop's masquerade ball he had no patience for formalities. And so the war began. Oliver sided with Amelie, though Claire was not entirely sure what his motives for his decision was.

An explosion interrupted her thoughts. More dark smoke filled the sky. The flames licked the horizon. The scene was beautiful yet cruel. Claire could not recall whether it was the smoke rising in the sky or the violent thrashing of the flames in the breeze that made her forget the betrayal of Shane and Eve. That did not matter now. All that mattered was surviving.

"How can you expect me to trust you if you are not even willing to tell me your name? You could be one of Bishop's men. Claire tried to sound brave as she spoke.

He was silent for awhile and just as she thought he had left he answered. "I know my appearance might seem suspicious. Up until now I had no reason to interfere. That has changed now and you are facing an evil unlike any you have seen in Morganville before. Bishop is ruthless and will stop at nothing to reach his goal. Morganville can burn to the ground and it would leave him unaffected as long as he is the victor. He can build a new town".

"Bishop is evil. I got that part long before you showed up. How do we destroy him?" She tried to stay calm as she said it but her voice faltered on destroy him. A young vampire is difficult to kill so how were they suppose to kill Bishop? Would Amelie be able to kill her own father? Claire was not sure whether Amelie would kill her own father for the safety of her people. Amelie was still weak from Jason's attack.

" I am sorry sweet Claire but I can not give you the answer. You will know what to do when the time comes. You must however protect Myrnin at all cost. He will have a important role to play in this war. Without him the war will be lost. Myrnin is the key to Shane's survival". His voice sounded sad as he said this.

Shane would die if Myrnin is lost. The thought of Shane dying sent shivers down her spine. It seemed to often happen these days. Despite his betrayal she could not allow Shane to die. She couldn't allow Myrnin to die either. Myrnin was sweet when he wasn't having one of his episodes.

" Claire, what are doing outside?" It was Oliver. Claire did not hear her advisor run off but she knew he was gone.

"What does it look like?"

"Show some respect Claire. I liked you more when you were not so defiant". The annoyance in his voice was unmistakable. Oliver no longer tried to be civil towards Claire. "We could do this the easy way or we could do it your way. I would prefer the easy way if I were you". Oliver was threatening her again. She was not as afraid of him as she was before. Oliver knew that he would have to face Amelie if he harmed her.

"What do you want?" She did little to mask the annoyance in her tone.

" I want you to tell me everything you know about the disease". If Claire did not know any better she would have felt sorry for Oliver. He seemed fragile. Why would Oliver want to know more about the disease if he didn't believe it existed. Unless

" If you think that I fear Amelie's wrath then you are mistaken child. Her protection over you means nothing to me. She has more important issues to attend too. Her father and his minions are keeping her occupied. She is getting weaker Claire. Jason's attack should not have affected her as much as it has".

" She got staked Oliver. Surely you can see why she would be weak after the attack".

"Amelie founded this town to create a safe haven for her followers. Do you think this is the first time Amelie was staked? I assure you it is not the first and it will not be the last. I have seen her fight battles with a stake embedded in her chest. Jason's attack should not have weakened her. Will you tell me what you know or should I arrange for Shane to have an accident?"

Shane was becoming a liability. Everyone seemed to know he was her weakness. Now she understood why superheroes protected their identity. Not that she felt like a superhero. She felt more like a mixture of Alice in wonderland meets stressed Eric. Shane is important to her and he is the guardian of the book so she could not afford to call Oliver's bluff. He seemed desperate and desperate men will resort to desperate measures.

" The disease weakens the vampire abilities. We do not know what causes the disease. It could be genetic or even airborne. The affected vampire will show signs of dementia and super strength"

"All vampires have super strength" he interrupted.

"Not like this. It seems like the disease closes off the thought process and the brain reacts to this by focusing on the body's most basic needs."

"Feeding" he interrupted again.

"Yes, infected vampires tend to act more primal than healthy vampires. They also need to feed more often".

"If they are feeding shouldn't the blood sustain them?". Oliver seemed more than just curious about Amelie's state. It was more than just inquisitiveness.

" No the blood does not sustain the infected. After some time the body starts rejecting the blood. From what I gathered those who are entering the final stage of infection are paralyzed. Their eyes seem vacant and blood is secreted from their eyes and nose".

"So they bleed to death?".


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Claire looked at Oliver. She was amazed by the look of horror on his face. Oliver was scared. It was the first time Claire saw him like this. Oliver is usually either trying to be the good guy or being his usual easy to hate self. When she thought about it later she understood why it scared him. He was immortal. A disease was not suppose to affect him. Perhaps Oliver grew too cocky in his immortality and believed he was invincible. He was no longer on the top of the food chain. His existence was being threatened by his own body. Not too mention Bishop and his followers.

It did not make sense though as Oliver did not believe in the disease. He made that very clear to Claire after the feast. The majority of vampires in Morganville were unaware of the disease and the threat it possessed to the vampire community. When Amelie showed Claire the cells where they kept the infected vampires she made it clear that she did not want the disease to cause a panic amongst the vampire community. If this was Oliver's reaction towards the disease then Claire could only imagine how frantic the other vampires would be.

"Yes, the same substance that sustains you will…

"The cure, how far are you with the cure?" He interrupted her again. His tone was desperate. Was Oliver infected? Could that be the reason for his frailty?

"Oliver are you infected?" She had to confirm whether he was infected or not. If he is infected it could affect her safety as well as Eve's. Myrnin was nice when he took his medication but once it wore off he turned into a cold predator. Oliver was a cold predator even before the disease was made known to Claire so it stands to reason that he would be even more lethal once the disease took full effect.

"The cure Claire?" His fragile demeanor was lost now. He was back to the Oliver she knew and hated.

"There is no cure at this stage". She lied but her instinct told her it was the right thing to do. If Oliver knew Bishop's blood was the cure, there was no telling what he would do with the knowledge. Anything is possible with Oliver. Oliver could betray Amelie to safe himself. This would not be far fetched judging by Oliver's previous behavior.

"You are not worth your reputation". Oliver looked at her as if she was something stuck under his shoe. He looked disgusted and disappointed.

"Amelie should be ready by now. We should go inside". Yeah he was back to business.

She got up from the bench and took a last look at the rowan swaying in the breeze.

Claire walked behind Oliver to the kitchen door. She did not want to tempt fate by walking in front of him. He thought she did not know how to cure the disease so she was of no use to him. Like with the book Oliver is only nice when you have something that he needs. Without the carrot to dangle in front of his nose his behavior can be random and deadly.

He opened the kitchen door and whispered to her, "keep our little conversation to yourself". He walked to the living room leaving Claire at a lost for words in the door way. She could hear him calling Eve. She walked to the fridge and took a coke. She was tempted to take one of Eve's ale's. It was tempting but with the mission lying ahead of her it would be stupid to drink. She calculated that with her body mass and the percentage of alcohol in the ale she would be intoxicated before even finishing the ale.

She opened the can of coke and went back to the lounge. One of Amelie's bodyguards, the one that looked like he was carved from stone, was waiting for her by the stairs. She walked over to him but Monica intercepted her.

"If anything happens to my family I will hunt you down you little freak. Ask your little boyfriend, I stay true to my word".

Monica really did psycho well. Perhaps she took psycho 101 classes from Brandon.

"Morganville was peaceful until you arrived. I should have finished you off on those stairs."

What happened next happened so fast that Claire was not even sure what happened until it was over. Monica swung at her with a shiny object, a nail file most probably. Within a instant the mountain of a man was standing in front of Claire holding Monica's arm in a grip.

"Let go of me". Monica thrashed violently to no avail.

"You were allowed too much freedom in this town Monica. You are part of the reason why Frank Collins seeks revenge. Do not test my patience as most vampires would be more than glad to be rid of you".

Monica's eyes were wide with surprise. Claire knew that Monica was not use to people or vampires speaking to her like that. She was Morganville's unofficial princess. Girls wanted to be like her, boys wanted to be with her. She was beautiful but below her beauty she was the poster girl for unstable teens.

Monica was also the head of the local psycho clique but her psych-ets dropped her when the danger in Morganville became evident. Monica even arranged for Claire to be raped on the night of the Dead girls dance. How sick is that? Claire never actually did anything to invoke Monica's anger. Claire just moved into the girl's dorm. Perhaps the fact that she existed was enough to make Monica angry. As time moved on Claire got use to Monica and her psycho fits of rage. She stood up against Monica. Which granted might not have been such a good idea as it only made Monica more determined.

"I said let me go. Do you know what Oliver would do to you if he finds out". Monica's voice was full of malice.

"Yes Oliver would thank him for ridding him of you. You are only under my protection by default Monica. If your father was not so fond of you, you would have been drained years ago. Do not fool yourself girl, I do not care for you nor do I feel obligated to protect you from your own actions". Oliver walked down the stairs with Eve behind him.

The bodyguard released Monica with a force that made her land on her buttocks .

Claire was not sure whether Oliver was protecting her or whether he was just tired of Monica's antics and name dropping. The latter was the most obvious reason. Even Richard, Monica's older brother turned a blind eye to Monica's antics. Monica was never prosecuted for the murder of Shane's sister. Being the mayor's daughter sure had it's benefits. If Claire did not know Richard was related to Monica she would have never have guessed they are siblings. Richard was the opposite of Monica. He was caring and kind. His only flaw was protecting Monica.

Oliver walked past Claire with a sly smile. Eve followed behind him and whispered "come home safely" and hugged Claire. Claire just stood there. She did not welcome the hug but she did not refuse it either. She had forgiven Eve but she was not ready to pretend everything was ok. The truth was everything was not ok. Morganville was burning. Bishop was playing some sick real life version of chess and Shane was one of Amelie's pawns who he needed to take down. Eve was being moved to Common Grounds with Oliver. And last but not least her boyfriend and best friend were playing secret tongue hockey. No nothing was ok.

She forced herself to hug Eve back just before Eve let go of her.

"Take care", she said trying to smile.

"Eve", Oliver called from the front door.

"Hold on Im coming. Claire if you speak to Michael or Shane, tell them I love them".

With that Eve spun around and ran after Oliver.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Monica sat on the floor, where the bodyguard had left her. She was sporting her malicious grin. Did she notice the awkward moment between Claire and Eve?

"Oh how the geeky have fallen". Monica definitely noticed the awkward moment. She did not know what it was about but she could not let it pass without giving Claire hell.

Claire had a retort but her recent assassination attempt made her reconsider using it. She was fortunate that Amelie's bodyguard was there. If it was not for him then she would have gotten the manicure from hell.

"Claire, Amelie waits", the bodyguard said impatiently.

Claire looked at Monica as she sat pouting. She wanted to say something but could not find the words to express herself. She was staring at Monica. Hatred and pity swirled in her mind but she turned around without a word and walked up the stairs.

Amelie was waiting for Claire in the secret room. The Amelie sitting in the chair bore almost no resemblance to the powerful Amelie Claire met when she first moved to Morganville. Amelie looked tired and sick. Her usual blond hair had a faint taint of grey. She still looked elegant in her white suit but Claire noticed faint rivulets of blood on the blazer. Amelie was still bleeding which means the infection is affecting her healing ability.

"Please sit down Claire", Amelie motioned to a chair across from her.

"Amelie your"

"This is not the time nor the place for that conversation Claire". Amelie interrupted her before she could finish the sentence.

"There is much to be done before we can rescue Myrnin"

"Do you know where he is?" Claire asked.

"Yes, my father is keeping him in a abandoned warehouse. But before we leave I need to talk to you about Mr Collins".

Claire's heart raced at the mention of Shane's dad. Should she tell Amelie that Frank was on his way? She was torn between loyalty and love. She did not care for Frank but he is Shane's father and his death would affect Shane. There was no love lost between Shane and his father but she knew his death would make Shane even more rebellious towards the vampires.

"What do you need to know? Claire said deciding that it was the right thing to do. Shane's father was one nail file missing from being Monica, in her opinion. Frank does not care who gets hurt in his "cause" as long as he will end the victor he would make sacrifices. Claire smiled at the thought of Frank being so similar to the vampires, who he despises.

" He is back in town, yes? Amelie asked showing no emotion.

"I do not know but I know that he was planning to return to Morganville". It was the truth though. Claire did not know whether Frank was in town. She had hoped that he wouldn't return but somehow she knew he would be back to cause trouble.

Amelie smiled at Claire's answer.

" I know that could not have been easy for you Claire. Shane and I have more in common than he might care to acknowledge. Frank Collins is dangerous. He is driven by revenge, hatred for our kind. Yet it was his own kin who caused him so much sorrow. He is blinded by his sorrow and that will be his weakness. If I am aware of his presence then there is no doubt that my father will know who and where Frank is. That could be very dangerous as my father will use his blind rage against him".

Amelie has always been kind to Claire, except when it came down to business. She knew that Amelie had to act in a manner that she thought would be best for all the inhabitants of Morganville. She was the epitome of female power. She survived as Founder in a time when men ruled the world with women by their side. Amelie had no male consort, officially that is. Sam loved Amelie but she could not allow their love to blossom. Their love would endanger Sam's safety so she sacrificed their love for his safety .

"Claire are you listening?" Amelie asked sounding annoyed.

"Yes, sorry".

"We shall leave soon so there will be no need for your rug sack or at least not for the contents there of".

Claire was astonished that Amelie knew that she packed her rug sack. Did she know that Claire was planning to leave the Glass house?

"I.." Claire didn't know how to start the explanation. How would Amelie react to Claire wanting to run away because her unofficial boyfriend is cheating with her best friend.

"No need for explanations Claire. We have more important issues to attend to". Amelie's voice was impassive. Claire stared at Amelie in silence. She sometimes hoped that Amelie would show some compassion. The silence loomed for what felt like hours. Claire and Amelie's eyes were locked on each other.

"We should prepare". The bodyguard broke the silence.

**IF anybody is reading this can you please leave a review and or advise on how to improve my writing? To be honest my writing feels one dimensional, in my opinion. I like the idea behind my fan fiction but it feels like I am failing the story**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed the story, I appreciate it ********. I do not update regularly as work keeps me busy .**

**For Jane.E & Neliz DB Love**

Amelie pressed the secret button to open the door leading out onto the main landing. As Claire moved towards the door she noticed Amelie's lips moving as if whispering. The bodyguard nodded and confirmed Claire's suspicion. She wanted to ask him what Amelie had said but he was not a man, well vampire of many words. She also knew that the vampire only protected her from Monica because she was under Amelie's protection. If it wasn't for the bracelet around her wrist, he would not have interfered. Even though the vampires ran the town, they did not intervene in the lives of the non fanged Morganville residents unless it involved the safety of the vampire community. Some of the vampires might even have enjoyed seeing Monica attack her, vampires like Ysandra for instance.

The bodyguard passed her and without looking at her asked for her to follow him. She instinctively knew that she would soon know what Amelie whispered to him. He lead her down the stairs and they passed Monica . Monica's face was still full of malice and Claire mused that Monica was far from finished with her.

Monica was sitting in Michael's chair with her legs draped over the armrest. She looked almost regal, but she tried too hard resulting in her attitude as spoilt princess betraying the image. She was busy filing her nails for what Claire thought must be for dramatic effect. The spoiled – so dramatic!

The bodyguard led Claire through the kitchen and out into the back garden. The stench of the fires were no longer present in the cool breeze. The horizon showed no sign of the destruction that occurred earlier that evening. Claire's thoughts drifted to the days before the war started; Michael in his chair with his guitar, Eve ranting about work and Shane. Shane Collins is after all the first boy she loves, loved, she corrected herself. The image of her and Shane on the couch was clear in her mind. He would stroke her legs as he lay with his head on her lap. His touch was gentle yet rugged. She wanted to be with Shane, wanted him to be her first and only but Michael made sure that they restrain themselves from their desires. In the past she resented Michael for keeping them from moving to the next level of the relationship but now she was sure it was the right thing to do. The situation would have been so much worse if she had given in to temptation. She could not help but think whether Shane and Eve were having intercourse. Did he touch Eve like he touched her?

"Claire", the bodyguard called her back to the present.

"Yes", she answered softly with a sigh.

"Before we start the rescue mission Amelie would like me to teach you combat skills". The thought of her battling it out with a vampire was almost comical, but he was not smiling. He was serious and soon she would have to wake up to the true effects of the war. With her small frame she was no match for Monica so they might as well stick a lable on her, vamp chow now with 100 % more Claire. He watched, waiting for her reaction but continued after a minute of silence.

"The storm is coming Claire. Amelie wants to give you a fighting chance if you are ever in danger. You are vital to restoring peace to Morganville" His words like years seemed to mature her. She had a duty and responsibility towards Amelie and now was the time to man up. Man up she thought and smiled.

"As you know a stake will not kill an old vampire. It will merely paralyze an old vampire. However staking a young vampire will be fatal".

"How old does a vampire have to be?", Claire asked.

"If Michael Glass were to be staked he would surely die". The bodyguard spoke in a toneless voice and Claire felt the shivers running up her spine. How could he be so impassive? As soon as the thought crossed her mind she answered herself, he is a warrior. He was use to death and people dying, he is a vampire so predator instincts comes standard but Claire imagined that human soldiers would have the same impassive tone when it comes to death. Seeing people die regularly must affect a person. She could not see herself getting use it. She was hunted more than once since moving to Morganville. She still faces it every time she is in a room with Myrnin. For the second time that evening she felt older. As if she has made giant leaps in age. She looked towards the rowan tree and tried to stand tall.

"Ok I'm ready", she said fighting the quiver in her voice.

The bodyguard nodded and removed a stake from it's sleeve. It shined with the light of the moon. Pure silver with Amelie's emblem on it. It was beautiful and dangerous. The tip of the stake ended in a sharp point. It appeared almost liquefied in the moonlight. As beautiful as it is she knew the destruction it can cause. In her mind's eye she saw Amelie lying on the floor with a similar looking stake lodged in her chest. At that moment reality became a burden and Claire could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. She did not want this. She did not want to learn how to end a life. She is still a teenager. How could Amelie expect this of her.

Claire wanted to go home. She wanted Shane to hug her and tell her it was going to be ok. Like the wave of maturity crashed over her so did the wave of fragileness. She felt like the small girl scared of the dark. The only difference is back then there was nothing in the dark but now, now the dark hid numerous dangers. Her own death or the death of those dear to her was imminent .

She wiped away the tears and stared at the bodyguard. She did not want to know his name. She did not want to think about whether he would survive. Thinking of him as a nameless bodyguard would somehow make it easier if he were to die the eternal death. She nodded back to him and knew what people meant when they say a part of them died. A part of her had died that night, her innocence.

**I hope you like it and that it was at least worth the wait. I will try to update this as often as possible**


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